Synopses & Reviews
Set in Paris and in the enchanting landscape of central Asia, this new novel by the author of the international bestsellers
The Alchemist and
Eleven Minutes follows the journey of a man obsessed with finding the wife who left him without an explanation.
The narrator of The Zahir is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges that money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who, despite her professional success and freedom from the conventional constraints of marriage, is facing an existential crisis. When she disappears along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover, the authorities question the narrator. Was Esther kidnapped, killed, or did she simply abandon a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn't have any answers but he has plenty of questions of his own.
Then one day Mikhail, the man with whom Esther was last seen, finds the narrator and promises to take him to his wife. In his attempt to recapture a love lost, the narrator discovers something unexpected about himself.
A haunting and redemptive story about the dark side of obsession, The Zahir explores its potential to both fulfill our dreams and to destroy them. It is also a thoughtful meditation on faith, celebrity, marriage -- and their relationships to freedom and creativity.
Review
“Coelho is a novelist who writes in a universal language.” New York Times
Review
“If you read Coelhos book The Alchemist, then you should definitely read this.... Theres really no one else like him.” Vibe
Review
“A fast-moving, captivating, both satirical and thoughtful novel about love and desire.” Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Review
“Fans of Paulo Coelho will love this eloquent meditation on commitment--as will anyone whos ever been in a relationship.” Marie Claire
Review
“Likely to entrance even the most cynical of readers.” Bloomberg.com
Review
“An enlightening story of faith and the reclamation of pure love.” Library Journal
Synopsis
"Superabundant talent, stunning originality, an elegant way with words... The Zahir is something more."
-- Los Angeles Times
The narrator of The Zahr is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who has disappeared along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover.
Was Esther kidnapped, murdered, or did she simply escape a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn't have any answers, but he has plenty of questions of his own. Then one day Mikhail finds the narrator and promises to reunite him with his wife. In his attempt to recapture a lost love, the narrator discovers something unexpected about himself.
A haunting and redemptive story about obsession, The Zahir explores its potential to fulfill our dreams, and to destroy them.
About the Author
Paulo Coelho is one of the most beloved writers of our time. With sales of over 85 million copies worldwide, his books have been translated into 63 languages and published in 150 countries. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious international awards and was inducted into the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 2002. Mr. Coelho also writes a weekly column syndicated throughout the world.
Paulo Coelho nació en Brasil en 1947 y es uno de los autores con más influencia de hoy día. Conocido mundialmente por el bestseller internacional, El Alquimista, ha vendido más de 47 millones de libros en todo el mundo que han sido traducidos a 56 idiomas. Asimismo, ha recibido destacados premios y menciones internacionales como el Planetary Arts Ward, el Cristal Award concedido por el Foro Económico Mundial y la prestigiosa distinción de Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion D'Honneur del gobierno francés. Paulo Coelho escribe una columna semanal que se publica en los periódicos más importantes de todo el mundo.